In recent years, it has become increasingly common for enterprises and organizations to make use of a cloud-based management platform for managing their networks. Examples of such platforms include the Meraki platform developed by Cisco Systems and the Smart Access Management Service (SAMS) developed by Ruckus Wireless (now part of Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.). Among other things, a cloud-based management platform enables centralized authentication and authorization of the network devices (e.g., switches, routers, wireless access points, etc.) operating on the network.
In cases where a given network device has IP (Internet Protocol) connectivity to the cloud, the network device can directly communicate with the cloud-based management platform in order to be authenticated and/or authorized by the platform. However, some network devices (such as, e.g., the member switches in a stacking system) may not have direct IP connectivity to the cloud. For these devices, different techniques are needed in order to support cloud-based authentication/authorization.